“Well, we’ve been very lucky. It hasn’t been an issue,” Marcantel said. “One of these days, it may be pouring down rain — and then it’ll be an issue for the entire festival.”

Marcantel wants the festival congregation to experience an actual French Mass.

“For a lot of them, it’s their first opportunity to see a French Mass because French Masses in Louisiana at this time are just in association with festivals. There are not regular Sunday Masses churches.

"So, when there is a festival, they get to hear a Mass in French,” he said. “And I think this is very important because it shows people and also the students that French is not just something that’s in the classroom — it can be used in your real life — a lot of people just think of it as a subject in school, or it’s a Cajun band singing in French.”

The large number of attendees expected does not mean a shortage of Communion wafers.

“We always have a lot of people to help with Communion. There’s always Communion ministers that come to the Mass,” said Marcantel. “I’ve never had trouble having enough of them.”

And, no, you don’t have to be a Catholic to take in the service.

“Anyone can attend,” Marcantel said. “You have to be Catholic to go to Communion, but it’s open to anyone.”